No One Hurt After Explosion Rocks CSX Coal Facility In Baltimore
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- An explosion Thursday morning at a Baltimore coal plant shook homes across the city and sent smoke billowing into the air.
The loud blast occurred shortly after 11:30 a.m. at a CSX Curtis Bay Coal Terminal on Benhill Avenue, officials and company representatives said.
It was the result of what authorities called a coal dust explosion, which happened as coal was being moved on a conveyor belt at the plant.
No one was hurt in the explosion, according to the Baltimore City Fire Department, and nothing caught fire.
A search found no sign of gas leaks on site. The Maryland Department of Environment is monitoring the air quality in the area.
CSX released a statement saying the cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
While most damage was limited to the plant, the explosion blew out the windows of nearby buildings, showering sidewalks with shards of shattered glass.
The blast was so powerful, it was felt across the city. It shook nearby homes and businesses as residents wondered what was going on.
Sharon Holland said she's never heard anything like it--she saw three black plumes of smoke and heard a series of booms.
"All the windows are blown out in my house," Holland said. "One girl, her fan is completely out of the ceiling."
Alec Bledsoe, owner of Late Model Performance, said the shockwave knocked down one of his ceiling tiles.
"You know how you have a small earthquake or something, but it was like 10 times worse than that," Bledsoe said. "It felt like a plane crash."
